Following the news that Once Upon a Time might recast Sebastian Stan’s Mad Hatter for a spinoff, Kitsis and Horowitz have spoken out about the possibility.

We have previously reported that ABC and the Once Upon a Time creators might be considering doing a spinoff centered around the Mad Hatter, focusing on his time in Wonderland.

Speaking to E! Online at the Paley Festival, showrunners Adam Horowitz and Ed Kitsis took the time to clear up the confusion surrounding the rumour that the Mad Hatter might get his own spinoff – without the charismatic Sebastian Stan in the role!

This part of the story understandably had fans in a bit of an uproar, but Kitsis reassures worried Stan fans, saying, “We don’t have plans to recast anyone.”

Horowitz adds that a lot of the rumours that leaked about the spinoff were, “very premature,” as so far they’ve only been, “tinkering with some ideas” for a spinoff – which according to the showrunners isn’t even Mad Hatter-centric.

Kitsis can further reveal that, “We do have an idea that may or may not take place in Wonderland that will definitely have some new characters. But at this point, it’s just kind of us tinkering in the laboratory, so we’re kind of trying to keep it secret before we unleash it.”

They can, however, put a damper on Mad Hatter fans’ excitement by confirming that Stan is much too busy to return for any more episodes this year.

Are you relieved that they won’t be recasting Sebastian Stan’s character? Or disappointed that the potential Once Upon a Time spinoff wouldn’t be focused on the Mad Hatter?

That eases my mind a little. I just hope they wouldn’t go ahead with the spin off and cast someone else aside from Stan.

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